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England's Ben Foden is set to return to action a month ahead of schedule with Northampton

England full-back Ben Foden is set to return to action a month ahead of schedule on Saturday after ankle surgery.

Last Updated: 20/11/12 12:09pm

Ben Foden: Desperate to return to playing action for Northampton

The 27-year-old badly damaged ligaments during an Aviva Premiership match against Bath in early September but says he is fit enough should Saints boss Jim Mallinder want him to feature against London Welsh.

A return would give the 30-times capped No 15 an outside chance of displacing Alex Goode in England's final autumn international against New Zealand on 1 December.

Foden told the Daily Telegraph: "I started running again at the end of last week and did some change of direction running this morning, which went pretty well so I am hoping to start the rugby sessions on Tuesday or Wednesday.

"Then it is up to the coaches to decide if I am ready. If it is not this weekend it should be definitely the game against Sale on November 30

"When the injury was first diagnosed, my return was scheduled for the away game against Ulster (in the Heineken Cup on Dec 17) but I heal fast.

"I have been in every day doing all the right things and I had a good surgeon and the operation went well. He still said it would be 12 weeks before I could play again but I am around four weeks ahead of that."